Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq – Short Stories on Women’s Lives in Southern India

Heart Lamp is a collection of 12 short stories by Indian writer Banu Mushtaq, translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi. The stories focus on the experiences of Muslim women in southern India, addressing themes of gender inequality, faith, and societal pressures, often with dry humor and emotional depth. The title story reflects an incident in Mushtaq's own life when, struggling with marriage, motherhood, and domesticity, she doused herself in kerosene. In the story, the protagonist's children intervene, reminding her that she is loved and understood. The collection was awarded the 2025 International Booker Prize, making it the first short story collection to receive this honor.